Conical owners - should I pull the trigger?

[doogie]

I haven't thought too much about it. I always thought it was a cost I couldn't justify. But.....my company is offering me $1000 to purchase my anniversary gift.
I went to the spike store and quickly made up a $995 CF5 bundle - comprising of most of the bells and whistles I would need.
Do you love your conical? Other suggestions.

 

[PCABrewing]

I love my conical.
Easy to clean, facilitates the tasks I need/want to do.

 

[Dland]

Having a conical is not necessary to make good beer, but it sure makes it a lot easier. Especially if harvesting yeast, racking and spunding, repeat brewing on same yeast cake, etc.

I'd say, go for it!

 

[NewJersey]

Wait for Spike's Black Friday sale!

 

[Mcbobs]

I have the SS Brewtech 14gallon unitank and I don't regret the purchase at all. Makes racking off yeast, fermenting under pressure and even temperature control super simple.

 

[doogie]

Wait for Spike's Black Friday sale!

I just fill out the request, my office has to purchase. I know it will end up costing me a couple hundred more to get me where I would like.

 

[McMullan]

I refuse to accept conicals as practical at home-brew level. For the budget you'd be so much better off buying 3 kegmenters, IMHO.

 

[Mcbobs]

I refuse to accept conicals as practical at home-brew level. For the budget you'd be so much better off buying 3 kegmenters, IMHO.

Looking at the kegmenter, is there a way to control temps or do you just need to stick them in a temp controlled fridge?

 

[McMullan]

Looking at the kegmenter, is there a way to control temps or do you just need to stick them in a temp controlled fridge?

Yes, I use thermowells adapted for ball lock keg posts to monitor/control wort temperature in a temperature-controlled fermentation chamber/fridge. In terms of cost, 3 x kegmenters is significantly cheaper than any single pressure capable conical miniaturised for shiny fan-boy home brewers, even with a big high-end fridge included with the kegmenters. During heatwaves I sit in my Norcool corner fridge and drink cold beer. I guess conical fanboys could wear a glycol jacket

 

[doogie]

I refuse to accept conicals as practical at home-brew level. For the budget you'd be so much better off buying 3 kegmenters, IMHO.

How do I do an oxygen-free dry hop with one of those? Use 2 and transfer into a hopped second kegmenter and then transfer to my keg? I wonder if they would go for a $1000 MoreBeer order.

 

[McMullan]

How do I do an oxygen-free dry hop with one of those? Use 2 and transfer into a hopped second kegmenter and then transfer to my keg? I wonder if they would go for a $1000 MoreBeer order.

With a 4" TC lid the options are almost endless.

Edit: You can put one of these together yourself and save some money. I don't use one myself. I only use pellet hops for lagers. Anyway, here's a better answer to your question:

 

[PCABrewing]

I guess conical fanboys could wear a glycol jacket

Is that really necessary?
This is a community of people with a common interest.

 

[PCABrewing]

Is that really necessary?
This is a community of people with a common interest.

Some people are convinced they need an F350 Super Duty but never haul anything bigger than groceries.
I'm sure I can get the job done with a sub-compact.

 

[McMullan]

Is that really necessary?
This is a community of people with a common interest.

Is conical fanboy-hood limiting your sense of humour? If you can't have a laugh, what can you have?

 

[Mcbobs]

Is conical fanboy-hood limiting your sense of humour?

Nah. Your conical fanboy joke just wasn't funny.

 

[McMullan]

Nah. Your conical fanboy joke just wasn't funny.

I'll bypass.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

I have conicals, and laughed at the joke but that's not my point here.. I have 2 cf15s and I love them.. there are benefits, plus they look awesome. Harvest yeast with ease, trub dumps so no clogs during kegging. Sure there are other ways to do it but conicals make the job easier. Really just depends on the brewer and the budget. All I'm saying is since I got my conicals I wont go back.

Cheers!

 

[KeizerBrewr]

I have a Catalyst, Wife got it for my for Father's Day last year. Really like it. Much easier to clean and use compared to carboys and buckets. Research and compare and figure out which one you actually need.

 

[PCABrewing]

I have conicals, and laughed at the joke but that's not my point here.. I have 2 cf15s and I love them.. there are benefits, plus they look awesome. Harvest yeast with ease, trub dumps so no clogs during kegging. Sure there are other ways to do it but conicals make the job easier. Really just depends on the brewer and the budget. All I'm saying is since I got my conicals I wont go back.

Cheers!

I think one of the biggest draws for me was not carrying a glass carboy. I have to carry the filled fermenter from the garage through the house and down the basement stairs. I always hated the thought of dropping it and having it shatter. Forget about the mess, those shards fly.
PETE won't shatter like that either but I went with stainless because I wanted to and I liked the cone collecting the trub and spent yeast into a smaller surface area.
It is still heavy though. Six gallons is still six gallons.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

Only downfall I have found to my stainless conical is .... I don't get to watch the yeasties work during high krausen. But its still worth it.

 

[McMullan]

I have conicals, and laughed at the joke but that's not my point here.. I have 2 cf15s and I love them.. there are benefits, plus they look awesome. Harvest yeast with ease, trub dumps so no clogs during kegging. Sure there are other ways to do it but conicals make the job easier. Really just depends on the brewer and the budget. All I'm saying is since I got my conicals I wont go back.

Cheers!

I get to harvest and repitch the best yeast possible, without using an overpriced shiny miniature conical, regardless how 'awesome' they look and despite having the budget. On the subject of what's best practically, for home brewing, kegmenters are excellent value and more adaptable too, given they can be used for pretty much every stage of brewing, grain to glass. As are standard sankey kegs and SS milk urns, too. I don't understand why I'd want to throw money away on something that looks 'awesome' and requires effort to keep shiny and 'awsome', assemble, disassemble and clean again, over and over. Keeping things simple in home brew goes a long way. A little bit like 'less is more'.

 

[PCABrewing]

Only downfall I have found to my stainless conical is .... I don't get to watch the yeasties work during high krausen. But its still worth it.

Agree, that is a negative. It was nice to be able to see them churning away. You could tell if it kicked-off even before it started bubbling in the airlock.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

I get to harvest and repitch the best yeast possible, without using an overpriced shiny miniature conical, regardless how 'awesome' they look and despite having the budget. On the subject of what's best practically, for home brewing, kegmenters are excellent value and more adaptable too, given they can be used for pretty much every stage of brewing, grain to glass. As are standard sankey kegs and SS milk urns, too. I don't understand why I'd want to throw money away on something that looks 'awesome' and requires effort to keep shiny and 'awsome', assemble, disassemble and clean again, over and over. Keeping things simple in home brew goes a long way. A little bit like 'less is more'.

View attachment 749402
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That looks like a pita, I just open a valve, slowly fill jar, close valve, DONE.. and you say takes effort to keep shiny and awesome... ummm no quite the opposite. Run a cip ball with hot pbw while sipping on homebrew, a task I will take on any day.

 

[McMullan]

That looks like a pita, I just open a valve, slowly fill jar, close valve, DONE.. and you say takes effort to keep shiny and awesome... ummm no quite the opposite. Run a cip ball with hot pbw while sipping on homebrew, a task I will take on any day. View attachment 749408

Not as much as a PITA as being a dedicated fanboy of 'how awesome I look' at home brew scale. I usually transfer the pot on top (the yeast trough) to a fresh kegmenter full of sweet wort. It doesn't get simpler than that, IME

 

[Knightshade]

This thread into turning into a pissing contest..which I'm sure isn't intended. Just pointing out what I'm seeing.

@McMullan Where did you get the modified 4" triclamp w/the...what I think is a 1.5" and two other connectors? I found something similar on aliexpress but it only had the reducer and a port of some type. I found a vid on YouTube with a guy from Italy that was using it for a thermowell.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

Not as much as a PITA as being a dedicated fanboy of 'how awesome I look' at home brew scale. I usually transfer the pot on top (the yeast trough) to a fresh kegmenter full of sweet wort. It doesn't get simpler than that, IME

It takes zero effort to have a positive opinion of the equipment choice I made and seems like it's taking you more effort to prove us so called "fanboys" wrong. You do you man. I just enjoy the hobby and my process and just share the pros and cons without bashing anyone else. Exiting convo.

 

[McMullan]

This thread into turning into a pissing contest..which I'm sure isn't intended. Just pointing out what I'm seeing.

@McMullan Where did you get the modified 4" triclamp w/the...what I think is a 1.5" and two other connectors? I found something similar on aliexpress but it only had the reducer and a port of some type. I found a vid on YouTube with a guy from Italy that was using it for a thermowell.

It was customised by a firm called 'Distillex' on Aliexpress. They were fantastic. Really happy to provide what I wanted. It was cheaper than the first prototype I made from a blank 4" TC cap and weldless bulkhead fittings, which I still use regularly.

 

[McMullan]

It takes zero effort to have a positive opinion of the equipment choice I made and seems like it's taking you more effort to prove us so called "fanboys" wrong. You do you man. I just enjoy the hobby and my process and just share the pros and cons without bashing anyone else. Exiting convo.

Not at all, mate. I've spent more enough of my professional time working in pilot plants using quite sophisticated bioreactors (fermenters). You don't need that kind of design to make good beer at home brew scales. Whatever rocks your boat, though. It's your choice, of course.

 

[McMullan]

I'd say think about the 'running costs'. They're superfluous mainly and simply do not translate into better beer.

 

[beersk]

I don't think anyone is arguing about conicals making better beer. Chill out dude and quit calling people fanboys. You sound like a dick when you do that. The OP is basically getting something from his company for free, maybe wants some bling, asking for opinions, and boy is he getting them...You know, opinions are kinda like a**holes...everyone's got one and they alllllll stink.
Personally, if I had the space and brewed big enough batches, I'd dig a conical with castors. I think that'd be badass. But as it is, I use an SS Brewtech brewbucket. Suits me fine.

 

[McMullan]

I don't think anyone is arguing about conicals making better beer. Chill out dude and quit calling people fanboys. You sound like a dick when you do that. The OP is basically getting something from his company for free, maybe wants some bling, asking for opinions, and boy is he getting them...You know, opinions are kinda like a**holes...everyone's got one and they alllllll stink.
Personally, if I had the space and brewed big enough batches, I'd dig a conical with castors. I think that'd be badass. But as it is, I use an SS Brewtech brewbucket. Suits me fine.

 

[ITV]

I haven't thought too much about it. I always thought it was a cost I couldn't justify. But.....my company is offering me $1000 to purchase my anniversary gift.
I went to the spike store and quickly made up a $995 CF5 bundle - comprising of most of the bells and whistles I would need.
Do you love your conical? Other suggestions.

Is your company hiring?
I have the CF10 and love it. I have an upright freezer that I use as a fermentation chamber, no need for the expensive add-ons. I can now do closed pressure transfers.

 

[M54B25]

But.....my company is offering me $1000 to purchase my anniversary gift.

This is the perfect way to buy a conical-- with someone else's money!

Given that you have this gift to use on something, are you trying to decide between something else specific vs. a conical, or you're just trying to decide if a conical would help your brewing process? If you want specific thoughts, these questions might be relevant: What do you ferment with now? How do you control temps? Do you have a floor drain (for easy cleaning/ dumping of trub)? What's most appealing of conical?

One additional point: are you sure you want a CF5 compared to a CF10? Everything is a little more expensive, but if you think you ever might want that extra capacity, it might make sense to go for it now.

My 2 cents: I'd say go for it. It won't make your beer magically better, but it does let you do additional stuff and in theory should last a lifetime.

 

[Knightshade]

It was customised by a firm called 'Distillex' on Aliexpress. They were fantastic. Really happy to provide what I wanted. It was cheaper than the first prototype I made from a blank 4" TC cap and weldless bulkhead fittings, which I still use regularly.

That would explain it, the one that I saw on there was made by same group. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Brewdog80]

Doogie, get it and ENJOY. I just bought a shiny albeit cheaper version, from Anvil for $240. I was tired of plastic and not being satisfied that the dang buckets were clean and truly sanitized. Conical is way too easy to drop trub out the bottom, and the lid comes off so you can see and clean by hand without going through a little keg opening. Oh, and McM, that is a cobbled up mess of a kettle and keg..... Sure, easy to clean... so much more so than a conical. NOT. We buy stuff to make beer, when in reality, we could buy beer cheaper.... Bud lite is cheap....

 

[ITV]

Bud lite is cheap....

One could argue that Bud lite is not real beer.
Life is too short to drink shi* beer!

 

[bracconiere]

i like my $150 milk can? but haven't really wanted to talk about... because both it and a conical are really just buckets....


but honestly, the heated comments make me laugh.... some people take brewing seriously, i just take it in stride. because if they're having dreams of glory, i'll just dump some juice in a storage tote. but if they're having fun and have the money, knock yourself out!

 

[Barbarossa]

Some people are convinced they need an F350 Super Duty but never haul anything bigger than groceries.
I'm sure I can get the job done with a sub-compact.

Yeah. Imagine using a mustang as a grocery getter. Still more fun though. That's undeniable.

 

[trapae]

Love my conical.
easy temp control
easy cold crash
pressure transfer
cip cleaning
decreased risk of O2

 

[bracconiere]

Love my conical.

my milk can has a big enough top i can scoop yeast out of it though!